General News
14 July, 2024
Refugees celebrate new start
Karen refugee K'lu Say Say knows about the fear of war, life in refugee camps and the trauma caused when families are forced to leave their home and their home country to find safety.
K'lu Say Say, who was born in Thailand and her parents in Burma, told part of her story to people attending a Refugee Week shared lunch at Horsham Neighbourhood House.
She is now settled in Horsham, along with other Karen refugees who fled their home country of Thailand.
Some at the lunch had lived all their life in a refugee camp before relocating to Australia.
Neighbourhood House manager Charlie Helyar said Refugee Week was an important opportunity to experience and celebrate the rich cultures of refugees and their contribution to their new communities.
The theme of this year's Refugee Week, which ended on June 23, is "Finding Freedom".
"This Refugee Week we aim to shed light on the transformative power of familial bonds in the face of adversity, and emphasise the crucial role families play in providing solace, support and a sense of belonging to people forced to flee their homeland," Mr Helyar said.
He emphasised the role families, neighbours and support systems played in helping people settle in their new land of Australia.
Horsham Mayor Robyn Gulline earlier told the lunch that the municipality welcomed refugees to the community.
"You add colour, vibrancy and bring a new food culture," she said. "You make this a better place."
This year about 185,000 people are expected to arrive in Australia as permanent migrants with about 70 per cent allocated on their skills and almost 30 per cent joining family members already in Australia.
Victoria accepts the most refugees with one-third of those coming to Australia settling in the state.